B.C.'s representative for children and youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, has praised the advocate who won today's landmark human-rights ruling for First Nations children.

In particular, Turpel-Lafond singled out the "persistance and sacrifice" of Gitksan Nation member Cindy Blackstock and others with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

They and the Assembly of First Nations fought for nine years before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal recognized that on-reserve child and family services were discriminatory.

"This decision confirms what generations of aboriginal people have known and experienced—in this country, aboriginal children have been treated as lesser, second-class, and undeserving of the opportunities, services, and care afforded to others," Turpel-Lafond said in a statement. "This is an important ruling and one that promises to help lead to positive change on the ground."

The tribunal's decision orders the federal government to "ensure equitable levels of service, including funding thereof, for First Nations child and family services on-reserve".

It also instructs the government to remove discriminatory aspects of the funding formula and reform the program to meet the needs of 163,000 on-reserve children and their families.

https://twitter.com/Caringsociety/status/691983941327265792

"Even as an advocate, it is so difficult to obtain quality services for aboriginal children," Turpel-Lafond said. "It simply must become a lot easier for these kids and their families to get the support they need and deserve. I believe that today's decision is a step toward that."

In an interview with the Straight last year, Blackstock said that she had heard the best definition of discrimination from a nine-year-old girl.

“She said: 'Discrimination is when the government doesn’t think you’re worth the money,'” Blackstock said at the time. “So imagine what it’s like to be one of those kids who’s not worth the money.”

Blackstock's organization and the Assembly of First Nations filed their human-rights complaint in 2007.

In advance of today's ruling, she issued the tweet below.

https://twitter.com/cblackst/status/690860784553865216

The federal government released a statement today thanking the tribunal for making "such an important decision on the welfare of First Nations children in Canada".

It notes that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to "establish a nation-to nation relationship, based on recognition of rights, respect, and co-operation, and partnership to make real progress on the issues like child welfare".

"Together, we will make the right changes for better outcomes for First Nations children," the statement declares. "We would also like to recognize the work done by Cindy Blackstock and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, the Assembly of First Nations, and other organizations to understand the complex and deeply-rooted issues surrounding the needs of indigenous children in care."